See The Games!

New York Times Travel: "Apps & Games to Keep Children Happy"

A recent article in the New York Times Travel section features apps and games to keep kids entertained on the go! Among the winners is ThinKfun's Zingo! to Go - a perfect choice for fun on the road!

Apps to Keep Children Happy

By Michelle Higgens

Published: December 21, 2011

WITH Christmas upon us and New Year’s just around the bend, many families are contending with long road trips and crowded flights. All those hours in the car and at the airport are bound to bring out tantrums in toddlers, squabbles among siblings and the familiar “I’m bored” from tweens.

To help stave off meltdowns and keep the children entertained, I asked a range of experts, from professional toy-reviewers to travel-savvy mothers, for the best apps for iPads and iPhones. I’ve also thrown in some unplugged options.

excerpt on Zingo to Go!In this fast-paced twist on Bingo, pictures and words are used instead of the traditional letter/number grid. Children try to match the images and words on game tiles to the corresponding stoplights on their game boards. Because the first with a completed traffic light wins by shouting “Zingo!” this game is better suited to car rides than plane trips, where all the excitement might disturb other passengers.

Why it’s a travel hit: Self-contained pieces mean you don’t have to worry about missing parts. Children learn picture recognition and build memory skills. Also, “parents will actually enjoy playing it too,” said Brian Gordon, a founder of ebeanstalk.com.